Why the EU has good reasons to be furious about the UK’s vaccine hoarding

The EU has been sharing jabs like sweeties as the UK imposed exactly what Boris Johnson condemned – a blockade, writes Rob Merrick

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

It is the most eye-popping statistic for many a week, that 21 million vaccine doses have been distributed from the EU to the UK while it has received a big fat zero in return.

Yes, that’s right, the bloc attacked for wanting an “export ban” has allowed jabs to be handed over like sweeties, while our own government – said to oppose “blockades” – has not allowed a single one to leave our shores.

What can explain this incredible disparity, which is accepted by No 10, and how much does it blow apart the narrative of the EU as the bad guy in these “vaccine wars”?